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CHILDREN'S CORNER
CRUSTACEAN BEHAVIOUR
Decapods have many skills. They have various ways of eating, moving and avoiding predators. They can communicate with each other and work as part of a team. Amazingly, they also have the ability to learn new things.
EATING
Most decapods eat at night, meaning they are nocturnal. Some eat other animals such as fish, some eat plants such as algae, and some eat both. Many decapods like to scavenge, meaning they eat what they can find on the ocean floor. Others filter water for tiny bits of food. This process is called filter feeding.
MOVING
Decapods can swim and walk, but often in different ways. Most crabs walk sideways, which helps them move quickly on land. While lobsters and shrimps can swim backwards at an impressive speed.
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Lobsters and crabs grind their food with teeth in their stomachs!
Ghost crabs can even grind their stomach teeth to ward off predators.
Cool!
DID YOU KNOW?
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CRAZY CRUSTACEAN FACT!
Pom Pom crabs use small sea urchins as boxing gloves!
Either to protect them from predators or help source food, these savvy sea creatures are very resourceful!
AVOIDING PREDATORS
Birds, fish, seals, octopuses and other crustaceans all eat decapods. To protect themselves, they have their tough exoskeleton and many use their claws to ward off predators. Finding somewhere to hide is also very effective, brown shrimp bury themselves in the sand and lobsters swim backwards into the gaps between rocks.
CRUSTACEAN CHECK
Ghost shrimp make themselves invisible to predators. Can you spot the Ghost Shrimp in this picture?
COMMUNICATION
Many don’t know this, but decapods have ways of communicating with each other. They do this by snapping their claws, releasing chemicals and even rubbing their legs together in a process called stridulation. This is a way of warning others of predators, or attracting a mate, or telling others they are top dog.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Cleaner Shrimp clap their claws to let fish know they are ready to clean them. They clean by eating the dead skin and parasites on their bodies.
Yuck!
LEARNINGS AND FEELINGS
Scientists have discovered that decapods can remember things. They can feel pain, and can learn to avoid whatever caused them this pain. This means they are sentient creatures - they can sense and feel things. Thanks to Crustacean Compassion - they are now recognised as sentient creatures in UK law.
CRAZY CRUSTACEAN FACT!
One study taught some European Shore Crabs to navigate a complex maze. After two weeks, they still remembered how to find their way around it.
